Automatic electric stop gauge for winding machines



y 6, 1953 c. w. GUION 2,639,865 AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC STOP GAUGE FOR WINDING MACHINES Filed May 3, 1950 ATTORNEY Patented May 26, 1953 OFFICE AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC STOP GAUGE FOR WINDING MACHINES Charles W. Guion, Arlington, Va.

Application May 3, 1950, Serial N0. 159,804

2 Claims.

(Granted under 1 i The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to automatic stop motions for winding machines and has for its primary object to generally improve devices of th s t e;

llore specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrically operated stop gauge mechanism which will serve to Stop the winding of a spool or cop when the desired amount of thread has been wound thereon.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of such a stop mechanism which may be readily adjusted to vary the stopping of the spool or cop in accordance with a predetermined amount of thread that it is desired to' wind thereon.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an electrically-operated stop mechanism which may be readily installed on windin machines of the type shown in J O. McKean Patent No. 1,958,060, in which the spools are automatically stopped if the thread breaks or becomes exhausted.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanyin drawings, in which Figure l is a vertical. transverse sectional view of the winding machine of Patent No. 1,958,060, showing the improved stop mechanism installed thereon;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detailed elevational view showing the adjustable bracket which supports a mercury switch;

' Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line of 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detailed plan View of the mercury switch and its mounting;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a modified construction for adjustably mounting the mercury switch, and

Figure 6 is a plan view of the modified construction shown in Figure 5.

The automatic electric stop gauge forming the subject matter of the present invention is primarily intended for installation on winding machines of the type shown in the McKean patent referred to above, and inasmuch as this mechanism is clearly shown in that patent and is a wellknown commercial item, it is deemed necessary to show in the present illustration only such features of the winding machine as co- Title 35, U. S. Code (1952),

see. 266) 2 operate directly with the attachment. This stop mechanism for gauging the size of the wound cones may with slight modifications in structural details be employed on other types of winding mechanisms. The numeral I indicates generally the upper portion of the framework of the mechanismshown in Patent No. 1,958,060, while the numeral 2 represents one of a series of cones to be simultaneously wound, and the numeral 3 indicates a winding roll operated by motive power from any suitable source and adapted to engage and rotate the cone 2. '1

In the winding machine of the present illus-' tration, the cones or spools are-mounted on spool holders which are carried by pivoted arms 4-, and which arms are controlled by the mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 5 to raise the spools or cones 2 from the winding rolls 3, when the thread breaks or is exhausted.

The particular mechanism for causing a discontinuance of the winding operation when the thread breaks or is exhausted comprises a detector wire 6, which is pivoted to the framework of the machine, as' indicated by the numerall, and is normally held in the position shown in Figure 1 by thethread 8, which is'being wound from the bobbin 9, on to the spoolor'cone'2. Associated with the pivot I is a' tripping roller l0, adapted to cooperate with akicker cam H, when the detector wire 6 is allowed to move upwardly about its pivot I by reason of the breaking or exhausting of the thread 8. This movement of the kicker cam will throw the roller 10 out of the path of the cam and therebyoperate the mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 5, to permit a spring I2 to raise the spool 2 out of contact with the winding roll 3, thereby discontinuing the winding operation. This mechanism is all shown and described in the McKean patent, as previously referred to.

The attachment of the present invention comprises a mercury switch 20 which is releasably mounted in a spring clip 2l', fixed to a tiltably mounted arm 22. The arm 22 is pivotally connected to the upper end of a bracket 23 as indicated by the numeral 24, and the bracket is provided with an extension 25 on which the arm 22 normally rests. The lower portion of the bracket 23 is provided with a slot 26 adapted to receive bolts or the like 21, through the medium of which the bracket is vertically adjusted on a portion 28 of the winding machine with the tiltable arm 22 disposed above the spool 2. It will be apparent, therefore, that by vertically adjusting the bracket upwardly or downwardly, the position of the mercury switch with respect to the spool 2 Will be varied so as to vary the time at which the switch is closed and thus vary the amount of thread to be wound upon the spool, as may be desired. 7 1

As hereinbefore stated, the stop mechanism of the McKean patent is operated when the detector wire is allowed to rise by reason of the breaking or exhaustion of the thread 8, and the present improvement resides in providing additional means for raising the detector wire 6, when the spools are filled, regardlessof whether or not the thread 8 is broken or exhausted. This mechanism comprises a solenoid 25 so positioned 1 that its plunger 30, when retracted will be in engagement with the underside of the detector wire 6, when the latter is held in its lowered position by the thread 8 being wound upon the spool. When the circuit which includes the solenoid and the mercury switch 29 is closed, the plunger 30 will raise the detector wire 6, thereby setting in operation the mechanism heretofore described by means of which the arm 4 is caused to rise so as to disengage the spool 2 from its roller 3, thereby discontinuing the rotation of the spool.

In the form of the invention just described the actual tilting and closing of the mercury switch 2| is caused by contact of the wound thread against the underside of the arm 22. In the modified construction shown in Figures and 6, however, the mercury switch is adjustably mounted on the arm 4 entirely out of cooperation with the spool 2 or the thread being wound thereon. In thislater form of the invention the upward pivotal movement of the pivoted arm 4 which carries the spool 2 is depended upon for operating the mercury switch to close the circuit for the purpose of activating the solenoid 29 and stopping the winding action. This form of the invention which is shown in Figures 5 and 6 comprises a split band .35 which encircles the arm 4 and is adapted to be clamped thereon by threaded bolt 36 and wing vnut 31. .Interposed between the free ends 38 of the band 35 is an arm 39 on which is mounted the mer cury switch 49, and this arm is provided with a transverse aperture 41 through which the bolt 36 is passed and which serves to permit a ventical angular adjustment of the arm 39 and the switch 40 mounted thereon. As the arm 4 is moved upwardly about its pivot by the build-ing :up of material on the spool 2 the mercury switch 40 will eventually reach an angle at which the mercury will move down the tube so as to :close the circuit thereby activating .the solenoid and causing a discontinuance of the winding opera-- tion by raising the spool 2 away from contact with the winding roll 3. If the amount of thread to be wound :on a spool is to be increased or diminished the arm 39 is adjusted downwardly or upwardly respectively the required amount.

Theoperationof both forms of theattachment 4 have been fully described in connection with the description of the structural details and further comme'nt thereon is believed to be unnecessary other than to say that each form provides for the prompt stopping of the winding operation at a predetermined point in the operation, and that such point may be varied in each form of the invention by a very simple adjustment of the position of the mercury switch; such position in one case being related to the vertical distance above the winding roll, and in the other case being related to the angulation of the switch McKean winding machine, but it is to be understood that the mechanisms may be modified as to minor details to adapt them for installation on other types of winding machines without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended that all such variations be included within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a winding machine including .a windin roll, a pivotally-mounted arm, a spool holder mounted on the free end of the arm for rotative cooperation with the winding roll, and means for moving said arm about its pivot, a detector wire for controlling said movement, electrically-operated means for moving the detector wire, said iast-named means including a split band encircling the arm, a bolt for clamp ng the band about the arm, a second arm pivoted on the bolt and a mercury switch mounted on said second arm.

2. In a winding machine including a winding roll, a pivotally mounted arm, a spool hoider mounted on the free end of the arm for rotative cooperation with the winding roll, means for moving said arm about its pivot, a detector wire for controlling said movement, electrically-operated means for moving the detector wire, a second arm pivoted on the first-mentioned arm and extending longitudinally thereof, means for adjusting the angular position of the second arm, and a mercury switch mounted on the second arm and extending longitudinally thereof, whereby the switch is rendered active or inactive in accordance with the movement of the arms.

CHARLES W. 'GUION References Cited in the 'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Guion 001;. '30,. 19.531 

